Regional

1:00 pm

Fri March 26, 2010

Border Patrol Rescue

El Paso – A potentially deadly situation was averted yesterday after Border Patrol agents, helped rescue ten migrants who were put in a perilous situation by a smuggler in an attempt to elude authorities.

In the early hour's yesterday afternoon on March 25, 2010, Border Patrol Agents from the El Paso Station responded to the Hill Street storm drain tunnel where several individuals were attempting to make an illegal entry into the United States. As agents responded to the area they noticed several males running back into Mexico from the steel grates at the exit of the tunnel. Agents also watched several individuals running north in the storm drain tunnel.

The Border Patrol's "Confined Space Entry Team" was dispatched to the area with emergency equipment in order to extract the individuals from the tunnel. The specially-trained team entered the storm drain and conducted a search. This particular tunnel is exceptionally dangerous since agents must crawl for several hundred yards through stagnant water, toxic chemicals and harmful insects. Border Patrol agents successfully rescued all ten individuals from the "Hill Street" storm drain tunnel. Once all individuals were safe and secure, Border Patrol Emergency Medical Technicians provided minor medical attention. The subjects transported to the Paso Del Norte Processing center for processing and repatriation back to Mexico.

The month of March signals the beginning of the irrigation season in west Texas and New Mexico. It is also a time when Border Patrol Agents are more inclined to rescue migrants in distress. Each year, Border Patrol agents continue to play an important role in securing our nations borders and work to attain the preservation of human life in unexpected situations. In FY 2010, (Oct. 09 to present) El Paso Sector agents have rescued 21 individuals in five separate incidents.